It's a Date
by aloriahfrey
Summary: Daryl tries to make a move on Karen, while Karen figures out one of the Dixon's weaknesses; women. (Rated M for eventual sexual content)


**A/N: **Okay, so I am super-duper curious about this new girl, Karen. She seems like a very fierce, loving person from the way she looks after her son to the way she stands up to the Governor. Not to mention she was at the front of the line mouthing off when the Governor went extra wacko and shot up his whole army and somehow she still survived.

My friends and I all think she would look really cute with Daryl and if she has half the fire in her I think she does, she could be good for him. So, here is my interpretation of what things could be like between them. My Daryl in this is heavily based on the Daryl that Norman Reedus wants him to be—shy and awkward with no game. :P

There will be 2 or 3 more short chapters to this, so it's kind of a short story, I guess. Enjoy. :D

**It's a Date**

Karen leaned back against the wall as she sat on the floor of C Block and cleaned her gun. It was strange living at the prison, but not necessarily in a bad way. There was a pleasant sense of community that Woodbury had been missing for a while and although she was leery to trust it too deeply, it was nice. It gave her and her son, Noah, a chance to pull themselves together after everything The Governor had done.

There was something else though—something that had stolen her attention from the moment she had been found in that truck—and his name was Daryl Dixon. He was quiet and had a bit of a "bad boy" thing going on, but he was polite and helpful and incredibly good looking.

She found herself watching him a lot, just wondering about him. She wanted to talk to him, but he seemed sort of reserved and she didn't want to impose. Getting to know a guy was awkward enough in a normal world…doing it after the apocalypse was even more complicated. People's lives and histories were even more damaged and no one trusted each other.

Still, he did look incredible in his leather vest. She liked the way it showed off his sculpted, tan arms. She'd never seen arms like that. Those alone were enough to get her going, never mind the rest of him…

She sighed and pieced her gun back together, biting her lip as she imagined just walking up to him and kissing him senseless—no words needed. A long time ago she might have done that…back when she was young and if they'd met at a dark, smoky bar somewhere. But now…

Her eyes roamed to Noah, who was chatting with a few of the other Woodbury survivors, and she reminded herself that he was what was important. Keeping him alive mattered more than anything else in the world.

"Hey, think ya could clean mine?" asked a familiar voice, pulling her attention from her son.

She looked up at Daryl, who was extending his gun towards her and watching her uncertainly with those calculative eyes.

"You got something better to do?" she teased.

"Not really…just been lookin' for a reason to come talk to you," he admitted quietly, a somewhat sheepish smile forming on his lips.

"You could just say hi." She took his gun from him and began to pull it apart with ease. She'd gotten use to this in Woodbury. Being on the guard meant caring for the weapons.

"Yea, I guess you're right," he sighed, some of his initial confidence leaving him. He went silent for a fairly long stretch of time and then turned to walk away as he muttered, "Well, thanks…"

"Whoa, hey!" Karen called. "You don't have to go. Sit down with me."

Daryl stopped in his tracks, turning back around and looking at her hesitantly. Still, he moved towards her and said, "Okay."

She watched him curiously, surprised by how shy he was being. She wouldn't have pegged him as that type, but it was rather endearing.

"So, do you know how to clean this thing?" Karen wondered. She figured he did, but she still had to ask.

"Mhmm." Daryl nodded slightly and gently took the gun from her, starting where she had left off. "Gotta know that stuff in this world."

"True, but I know you like your crossbow."

"I like guns, too." He smiled at her, just the smallest bit, and her stomach did a pleasant little flip.

"And motorcycles and leather jackets…I bet you were into all kinds of trouble before the end of the world," Karen taunted, chuckling lightly.

Daryl shrugged. "Nah…that was my big brother."

She didn't miss the pain that flashed in his blue eyes. "Merle. I know him. I thought he'd be here. Did…did you lose him?"

He nodded again.

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that. I've lost a lot of people myself. Still have Noah though, so that counts for something." For everything was more like it.

"I got this group," Daryl said optimistically. "They've kinda become my family."

"Well, that's good. You're not all alone."

"Nah…and uh…ya know, I'd kinda like to get to know you a bit more…if ya want to. Get to know me, that is." He was almost mumbling towards the end of his proposal and Karen grinned.

"Daryl Dixon, are you getting shy on me?" she chuckled.

"'Course not," he replied with a smirk that she didn't buy for a second. "Dixons know how to talk to women."

"Mhmm. Well, if you're asking me on some post-apocalyptic date…I'd love to."

He met her eyes, his smile widening just slightly. "Oh yea?"

"Yea. 'Course I dunno what we'll do. Hiking is about the only option these days. Or a very limited picnic in the prison courtyard."

"I ain't really one for romance anyway," he admitted with a small laugh. "I'd rather take a girl huntin' or shootin'."

"Well let's do that then. Let's go hunting." Karen had been meaning to learn to hunt anyway—it was perfect.

"Yea, alright," Daryl agreed coolly. "We'll go in the mornin'."

"It's a date."

She bit her lip to keep from laughing as Daryl looked away from her at the word "date". He wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't one for romance. She was kind of wondering if he'd ever really dated anyone. Not that it really mattered—some people just didn't have the time or the desire for that kind of thing and that was fine.

"Kay, well…I gotta go keep watch, but I'll see ya 'round," Daryl said before getting to his feet. His gun was all in one piece again and he tucked it into his belt.

"See ya, handsome," Karen replied, giggling to herself as he turned red and sauntered off, trying to look completely untouched by her compliment.

Daryl Dixon was tough and definitely rough around the edges, but apparently he had one weakness that no walker or crazed "governor" could touch. He was afraid of women.


End file.
